Conveyer mechanism



Sept. 6, 1938. w. J. TAYLOR CONVEYER MECHANISM Original Filed July 50', 1935 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES OONVEYER MECHANISM William J. Taylor, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to The Lamson Company, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Original application July 30, 1935, Serial No.

Divided and this application January 21, 1936, Serial No. 60,009

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in conveyer mechanism more particularly in such mechanism of the live roller type comprising a plurality of article transporting rollers rotated by a driving cable. This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 33,847, filed July 30, 1935.

The object of this invention is to provide in a live roller conveyer mechanism of that type, means for guiding the cable particularly when the conveyer includes a curved section.

This and other objects of the invention will be fully understood from an examination of the following detailed description thereof and of the drawing which forms a part of said description and in which,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged plan view illustrating the structure at one corner of a live roller conveyer; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are views of two forms of sheaves which may be used to hold the roller rotating or driving cable in position and the mountings therefor, the sheave in Fig. 3 being shown in section.

The term live roller is used herein to designate a conveyer comprising a plurality of rollers over which the articles travel and a cable or the like which is held in contact with the rollers and driven by a motor or other means to rotate the rollers and cause the latter to advance the articles.

The conveyer section 50 (see Fig. 1) embodies a curve, substantially of 90, and includes a plurality of live rollers 5| driven by a cable 52 held in contact with the rollers from below by a plurality of sheave units 53 and pivotally supported at the ends in side rails 54. of rollers, cable and sheave units is no part of the present invention being old and well known and disclosed, for example, in the patent to Pevear No. 2,002,830 granted May 28, 1935. In accordance with the usual practice the upper'run of the cable contacts with the rollers 5! while the lower or return run is supported below the rollers on idler, pulleys (not shown) carrier by the conveyer frame. The rollers at a curve are usually non-parallel, but radiating so that the ends are nearer at the inner edge of the curve than at the outer edge. It has been found most satisfactory in arrangements of this type to have the cable contact with the rollers near the outer edge of the curve and in order to hold it in this position the sheaves must be inclined to counteract the normal tendency of the cable to follow the shortest course possible.

The sheave 55 (Fig. 2) is freely rotatably The general arrangement mounted upon a post 56 carried by a bracket 51. The bracket 51 is secured to the side rail 54 and includes an arm 58 which terminates in an inclined face 59 to which the post 56 is perpendicular. The post 56 extends through a slot in the bracket and may be raised or lowered to adjust the sheave relative to the rollers 5!. It will be understood that brackets having arms 58 of various lengths and posts 56 and faces 59 inclined at various angles will be used as required. Fig. 3 10 shows a sheave which might be used in addition to or in place of the swivel mounting shown in Fig. 2 but is preferably used to hold the cable in substantially straight runs. The sheave B0 is supported for rotation upon a post 6i pivoted at the other end upon a pin 62 carried by a bracket 63. The post extends through a slot in the bracket and is urged to swing upwardly about the pin 62 by a spring 64. The bracket 63 is mounted upon a side rail 54 and includes means for adjusting the tension of the spring 64.

The brackets of each embodiment are removv ably and adjustably secured to one of the side rails 54. As shown in the drawing that side rail is provided with a base flange 10. The bracket 25 51 includes an arm 68 separated in part from the arm 58 by a recess or pocket H which receives the flange Ill. The arm 68 includes a flat portion 69 which rests against the side rail and in it is mounted a set screw or bolt 12 by means of which 30 the bracket is removably and adjustably fixed to the flange. The bracket 63 similarly includes an arm 13, having a flat portion 14, a recess or pocket 15 and a set screw or the like 16 which function in the same manner as the arm 68, recess H and 5 set screw 12 of the bracket 51.

While two embodiments of this invention have been shown and described in detail it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto and that various changes may be made 40 in any or all thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a live roll-er conveyer mechanism comprising a plurality of article transporting rollers anda driving cable one run of which is in contact with and rotates the rollers, means for holding the cable in contact with the rollers, comprising a bracket, a post pivotally supported upon a fulcrum in said bracket, a freely rotatable sheave mounted upon said post and by which the cable is supported and means for yieldably swinging said post about its fulcrum and holding said sheave in contact with said cable.

2. In a live roller conveyer mechanism comprising a plurality of article transporting rollers tatable sheave mounted upon the other end of and a driving cable one run of which is in consaid post and by which the cable is supported, tact with and rotates the rollers, means for holdand means for yieldably swinging said post about ing the cable in contact with the rollers comprisits fulcrum and holding said sheave in contact ing a. bracket, a post pivotally supported at one with said cable.

end upon a fulcrum in said bracket, a freely ro- WILLIAM J. TAYLOR. 

